SasuHina Month 2019
by DianaPana
Summary: Hey guys, i'm back for the SH month once more, yep i'm aware i'm late but what can you do...August was hectic for me. But i still wanna post all 31 days and i will try to do just that. Just like before some of the are stand-alones others are parts of mini-series, but i will specify that at the beginning. I hope you enjoy and that you had an amazing SasuHina Month! Love, Dia
1. Day 1 - Living together

_Hey guys, long time no see...like a really long time, sorry about that, i've started Uni and tbh i haven't had time nor inspiration lately to wrote but i did want to write for SH Month so here it is. I know i'm like over a month late. i have the stories till day 12 so i'll post twice a day maybe untill i run out of already-written prompts. My goal is to post all 31 days but we'll see where we get. Anyway i've missed writing and i might be a bit rusty so please forgive me. _

_Either way Enjoy, Love Dia~~~_

_**Day 1- Living together**_

Hinata

"Don't you think it's a bit too soon to be living with him? I mean…you've been dating for only a month" I can hear the frustration in my best friend's voice, and I can't blame her. I would be worried and quite mad at her if she packed all her things and moved in with a total stranger to me. Sadly, Ino is far away in Italy and hasn't been back in Japan in almost a year so there was no way for her to meet Sasuke, my new boyfriend.

"I know you're worried Ino, but what else can I do on such short notice? You know I don't have the means to stay in a hotel until the flooding in my apartment is fixed. Sasuke offered to let me stay there and it's the most sensible solution…"

My apartment isn't in top condition so it shouldn't have been such a surprise when some of the pluming failed and water started running down my walls and from the ceiling. It wasn't all that bad the first 2 days; I was able to somehow contain the water but on the 3rd night a pipe that was above my bedroom broke and I woke up with water dripping on my face and my bed soaked. I don't even want to think about how I will have to replace the mattress. Since before the flooding I've been considering moving to a better place but there was always something that appeared and got in the way of my search, so I never got around to doing that. Maybe this is the sign I needed to move, maybe this is also the sign I needed to be certain that Sasuke is serious. With the risk of sounding cliché I'll go ahead and say that I have never felt this comfortable in a relationship, it just feels right.

"I know that, _but_ I still think you are moving too fast. I wish I were there than we could be roomies like we were in high school and college, those were fun times…" I hear the longing in her voice. I know Ino loves being a model and Italy is amazing for her career, but there are times like this when I see how much she misses home. "Did you try to talk to Hiashi? Maybe he'll be an ok father for the first time in his life and lend you some money to move in a new place."

I roll my eyes even though I know she can't see me. "Really Ino? You think he will help? He literally kicked me out of his house for no apparent reason, when I was 16. Remember that? _Of course_ you do, because I lived with tour family for the last two years of high school. He did _not_ help three years ago when I was in the darkest place of my life. He will not help this time; nor will I ask him. I am actually in a good place now. The only sucky think is the apartment but Sasuke offered a solution so that is taken care of"

I didn't mean to go all over the list of why Hiashi, my so called father, sucks but it just happened, like it usually does when his name is brought up. I hear Ino sighing on the other side and I know I won this argument. "You are right, I'm sorry. I just worry because for the past month all you do is talk about Sasuke I feel like you are jumping in the deep end of the pool and I won't be there to help you pick up the pieces when and if he breaks your trust and heart"

I decide to not say anything about that comment. I hate it when she talks about Sasuke as being temporary. I haven't let myself admit it yet, but I am hoping he will be in my life for a long _long_ time.

Sasuke

"This could be called slavery y'know?"

"Please Naruto, this is hardly that. All I ask is for you to take time off your very busy day of doing nothing at all, to help me move Hinata's stuff in my place. Considering all the times I came to pick up your drunk ass from places, how many weekends I spend listening to you bitch around about one of your hook-ups I think I earned this favor"

"Yea, yea, yea, whatever. I am forever in your debt. My life is yours and all that. But why, oh why, did this move have to be at 7 a.m. on Sunday?" Naruto says with a prolonged yawn. I roll my eyes for the 10th time today and considering it's barely 7:13 I would say a long day is ahead.

"Because it may take a few hours to move everything and than she'll have to unpack and I would like to be done before mid-afternoon so we could go out and eat something and be back home at an ok hour since we both have work tomorrow. Unlike you."

"I still can't believe you asked her to move in with you"

"I didn't ask her to move in"; "_Yes you did_"; "no I did not. I offered her a place to stay while her apartment gets fixed"; "I mean we all thought you were _joking_ when you said that you will live together" We both talk at the same time. It's frustrating that he, and apparently, all my friends think that Hinata will be moving in. I mean, I do see that happening in the future, but this is just a solution to a problem. We don't have to make it a big deal out of it.

It took us less than 2 hours to get her stuff, transport and put them in my apartment. Naruto left and Hinata is back home unpacking. I went to the mall to pick up some more things she needed and to get food as well.

I walk up the stairs and unlock the door. The moment the door opens I clench my teeth. Hinata is on the floor looking though a box, I see small changes in the apartment such as her brush on the dresser near the mirror in the hallway, her shoes in the entry way, her favorite band is singing in the background. And it hits me. We're living together, she moved in with me after only a month of dating. I feel myself freak out for a moment, but she looks up at me and smiles and the weird feeling in the pit of my stomach disappears, it feels right for her to be here.


	2. Day 2 - Vampire

_Enjoy, Love Dia~~~_

_**Day 2 – Vampire**_

Every year on 26th May for the past 8 centuries people of Konoha go to the Hyuuga mansion to pray for the souls of all the lost. Not the dead, but those that are missing. They come to the mansion weep and tell sad stories about people that have mysteriously disappeared that year. They pray for those souls and ask the Gods to be kind to them in the following year. The tradition started when people of Konoha decided that all those people go missing because of a curse that started on the 12th century, the first missing person being the first Hyuuga princess of that time. This tradition happens of the anniversary of her disappearance.

In the Hyuuga mansion there is a glass coffin in the middle of the study room where the most life-like doll of Hinata, the Hyuuga princess lays. There is a small gold plate that tells the doll's story how it was made as a gift for Hiashi, the first king and Hinata's father for what would have been the girl's 21rst birthday, 8 months after she went missing. The doll is the oldest object in the whole village and also the most valuable one. Everyone always talkes about the doll, about its beauty and the sad story behind it and about the curse that it somewhat represents. But actually there are very few people that know the tale behind the "doll" and the missing people.

The Hyuugas do not know the truth, not even Hiashi was aware when he was alive all those years ago, they do have a bit more information than the general public but they believe the doll to be the embodiment of evil and many of them have walked around the house in the middle of the night to find the glass coffin empty. These stories of the doll being haunted have not left the Hyuuga household in order not to panic the people.

The only ones to know the truth are the Uchihas, a clan so old and with such morbid past that the village do not dare speak their name. They all believe the clan to be dead, but the Uchihas live and thrive in the middle of the forest. They all know about Hinata and all the missing people over the past 8 centuries because they have been alive to see it all happen.

"It's may 26th today." Itachi says looking toward his little brother. "it's funny how we don't have any grasp over time and days anymore but this day always stands out"

"Hn. It is different because it's the only day all year round when Hinata is late. The people buzz around her today like moths to a flame." Sasuke grumbles. His eyes are closed and he sits on his back on the porch of their house. Itachi is in front of him watching two newbies beings scolded by Fugaku, his father. Itachi's back is to Sasuke but he turns his head to see his brother.

"Maybe it's time for the doll to disappear. You both hate how she has to be there during the day. It has been 8 centuries. The first couple hundred of years I understood she stood back to watch over her family and their children but now she has little in common with the Hyuugas nowadays but the name. The bloodline has been altered over the years, she no longer should feel responsible for them. Her close relatives lived and died, as did their children, and their children and so forth"

Sasuke gets up and runs both hands over his face "I know, but I'm not sure how to bring this up to her. She's been doing it for so long, I know she still feels bad for the way her father broke down when she 'went missing' I think she's looking over the Hyuugas to try to make sure that no one here tries to turn or eat one of them."

The day Hinata appeared in their lives is one none will forget, the soft spoken princess was pray to one of their newbies even if Fugaku instructed them all not to prey on royalty and bring unwanted attention to them. The fragile girl just wouldn't die even after being almost drained of blood after that newbie failed to control his hunger. He brought her back to the house with very little blood in her system since most of it he had drank and a good part of it was on his hands and clothes. The said newbie was punished while the girl was saved by being fed vampire blood. She had woken up almost 3 days later in transition, after that she was treated like a new vampire and taught everything she needed to know. It took her barely 1 month to get used to her new way of being while most took over a year. The youngest Uchiha boy took w liking to her and in less than 3 months she was one of the only vampire that he tolerated.

5 months later, just a while before her birthday she asked him to take her back to see her family and Sasuke helped her sneak into her old house only to find all her family in deep mourning over her. After returning to the Uchiha house that night she asked Sasuke to help her find a way to return home without rising any suspicions. That is how she became a 'doll' that stays all day in the glass coffin in her old house. It began as a way for her to watch over her family but now after so many years its just her normal. Sasuke sometimes curses the day that he compelled a wealthy friend of Hinata's father to take her to him in her coffin as a gift for the wounded family on her birthday.

When Fugaku found out he was furious but the damage was done, the doll disappearing would do even more harm so he could not undo it. Hinata started spending most of her day there doing nothing, sitting in her coffin with her eyes open and not moving, listening and watching everything. The time they spent in those 8 months was more than they did in the past 8 centuries. When she is back at the Uchiha house she does basic and vital things such as eating, washing herself and sleeping.

The conversation between brothers changes to another topic since that one is of no use. Many hours later when Hinata finally returns to the Uchiha house instead of seeing Sasuke for a few minutes before eating she finds Itachi in his room looking tense.

"Itachi? Is something wrong?" her mind goes to Sasuke, did something happen to him?

"I did something that needed done long ago." The older Uchiha says and walks over to her to place his hands on her forearms, it started as a sweet genuine act but his hold soon becomes hostile and more powerful, it is borderline painful. "It's over Hinata. No more games. You are either here or you are somewhere else. The Hyuuga house is no longer an option"

Her eyes widens. "What do you mean?" When a few seconds pass and Itachi didn't answer yet Hinata whispered again "What did you do?"

"I fixed the problem. You no longer have a reason to be there, and you being here just for a bit hurts my brother. You can choose to be here forever or not another moment. The glass coffin is broken. There is a man on the run that believes he has stolen and sold the doll. There are evidence that lead to him all around the 'crime' scene. You are free to be here or to go. If you are still here in the morning it means you can never leave. I've allowed you for too long to string Sasuke along you either set him free by leaving, by rejecting him yet staying here or the two of you can go back to being how you were in the first 8 months of you being a vampire." After finishing his speech Itachi leaves before Hinata can say a word.

The next day Sasuke comes out of his room very disoriented, he doesn't remember going to bed and he usually always talks to Hianta for a bit before that. The moon is on the sky once more which means he had been out of it for almost 24h. In the kitchen he finds his brother, eyeing Itachi suspiciously Sasuke wants to question him but a familiar laugh caches his attention from the garden. With no word to Itachi he follows the voice, not noticing his brother's smirk.

"Hinata? Why are you here? What about the Hyuugas?" he asks and she turned around, walks to him and wraps herself around him in a hug.

"It's over. No more doll. I am here now and I will be forever"


	3. Day 3 - Post War

_Be aware this is the first chapter of a mini-series. I hope you Enjoy, Love Dia~~~_

_**Day 3 – Postwar**_

**Therapy- Part 1****  
**

The war ended, they won and yet most everyone feels like a loser. There are no festivals going around, there is no constant joy and song in the air. Everyone wears black and walks around with their eyes in the ground scared to look up and see what is there, or more exactly who isn't there. Many people died and their presence is missed. Many are still in comas in the hospital with little to no hope to wake up; many are in a trance like state even if they are physically unharmed. They might have defeated the enemy, but they too lost something so precious, their spirit. It was broken and buried with the thousand bodies This is not what he had envisioned when he walked onto the battlefield, Naruto is in the waiting room of the hospital waiting to hear from Sakura if there is any way in which he could help. He looks to the intensive care wing with longing, he hasn't been there in over 3 days. Guilt eats him alive. Hinata is in one of those rooms, her chances of waking up are better than most, but it's concerning that her injuries aren't physical. She tried to save him and she has severely hurt her head, Neji tried to save her while she was saving Naruto and the older Hyuuga died. The Uzumaki can't even pass by the Hyuuga mansion without feeling like someone is choking him.

He has his head in his hands, trying but failing to think of anyone else but the blue haired girl that lays lifeless in the bed a few doors away. He only looks up when someone sits next to him. Sasuke is the one that disturbed his pity party.

"How's the new arm?" Sasuke asks with no hesitation, nor does be tiptoe around it the way other people do. Naruto has to hold his breath for a moment in order not to laugh. It feels refreshing for someone to be blunt.

"It's fine. You should let Sakura fix you up too. They have one in storage for you; even if you said you didn't want it they still kept it just in case." Sasuke opens his mouth to address the issue of his own missing limb but a commotion to their left, in the intensive wing, interrupts him. Many nurses and doctors rush into one of the rooms, Naruto is up on his feet and running the short distance there because all of the medical staff are going into Hinata's room.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" he screams but no one answers he tried to go into the room only to be turned around by one nurse. Upon seeing who she is dealing with her eyes soften.

"Go wait outside. The doctors need room to check her. Nothing appears to be wrong, she woke up."

"She woke up…" Naruto repeats in a daze and allows the nurse to push him back until the hits Sasuke's chest.

"Friend of yours?" Sasuke looks at him with his eyebrow rose. Naruto only nods and falls back to the chair he was sitting on before. Head once more balacing on his hands. He blinks faster than usual trying to stop the tears from falling.

Another 30 minutes pass and most of the doctors left but he still isn't allowed to go in. Sakura comes half-running and sees them both and only motions for them to follow her.

"You want to see Hianta right? I was just on my way to her…" Naruto runs ahead while Sasuke looks at Sakura's tired face.

"I don't know her. I would only fill up space. And I have somewhere to be" Sakura gives him a stiff smile but nods nonetheless and walks into Hinata's room trying to prepare herself for the state that Hianta is in. The other medics said something is wrong with her.

Naruto sits on the chair next to her bed looking at her, waiting for something. Hinata sits in bed with her back against the wall looking out the window. She is a bit thinner than she was before the war; her skin is whiter and her hair less shiny but apart from that…physically she seems fine. The other doctors said that she isn't talking or even acknowledging other people, and by the way she is ignoring both of them Sakura seems to think the same. Maybe she has some 'traumatic memories' Sakura writes on her file or even 'memory loss' either way something seems to be off.

"Why isn't she talking?" Naruto asks exasperated. Sakura just shakes her head.

"That is what we can't figure out"

Sasuke is on the other side of the village, sitting in a chair in a room full of strangers, he listens to some woman talk about how she lost her daughter, than a young boy says he lost both of his parents, when the time comes for Sasuke to speak he just looks to the side. It is irrelevant to say who he lost, everyone knows the story; they've all gossiped about the Uchiha clan at some point. He lost everyone from mother to father to brother to his annoying cousins and even relatives he hadn't had the time to meet or get to know. It is true years had passes since he lost most of his clan but the wound is still open and it had become worse with Itachi's death and when he learnt the truth about the disaster that happened in his childhood the feeling of loss was as strong as it was all those years ago. That is why he is here, in this therapy group meant to help people learn how to cope with the loss of their loved ones. The only reason why be is here is because Kakashi asked him to show up once every two weeks

In the following two weeks Hinata became the embodiment of indifference, she was soon released from the hospital due to the fact that physically nothing was off. No matter how much Naruto and the others tried to get her to open up they just couldn't. Sasuke knew that because he was forced to listen to Naruto talk about her almost daily. So, he was very surprised when he showed up to his therapy group 20 minutes ago only to find the Hyuuga girl there. It hasn't been her turn to talk yet and Sasuke is watching her very closely to see if she would talk about what it is that 'broke' in her mind. The person before her finished talking but even so Hinata only looked at her hands so the turn moved on. The Uchiha male isn't all that surprised, Naruto is pushing her too far, he can't talk about his loss and it happened years ago, for her it only happened a few days back because since the war ended she has been in a coma. They all should give her time. Sasuke knows and he understand. In this moment he feels some sort of connection to the beautiful and broken Hyuuga.


	4. Day 4 - Nightmare

_Hey guys, this is part two of the mini-series. I hope you Enjoy, Love, Dia~~ _

_**Day 4- Nightmare**_

_**Therapy -Part 2**_

"I just want to make sure she feels ok, I can't even go to her house and ask her sister or dad how she is because looking at them makes me feel guilty" Naruto whines. "She has been out of the hospital for almost 4 weeks now and I have barely seen her"

"Maybe she needs some time alone, maybe this is how she is now, the war changed all of us Naruto" Saskura tries to reason but she too is a bit frustrated by Hinata's recent behavior. It is true that a lot of people act less like themselves now, but it is different when it's a close friend.

Sasuke only watches his two friends talk about Hinata. Since he saw her at the therapy group that one time, he decided to go to each meeting even if they were twice a week. She always showed up as well. Two sessions ago she started sharing but only small parts of what is in her brain, a sentence here and there, said in a barely audible voice. For some reasons Sasuke feels a kinship between the tow of them, it is probably one sided since she showed no sign that she is aware of his presence in the room. But listening to both sides, Hinata's and Naruto's he can't help but side with her. She is trying her best to find a way that works for her to cope and to his blonde friend her silence is inconvenient, he wants Hinata to be well not really for her own good but for his, because if she were fine than he could stop feeling guilty. Of course, Sasuke will never tell Naruto that but it still bothered him a little which is why he always avoided talking about the Hyuuga girl.

"I have nightmares with what happened, I haven't been able to sleep more than 20 minutes since I woke up from the coma" that is all that she shared today but that small piece of information stuck with Sasuke and made the bond he feels like they have even stronger. Without much thought while everyone is leaving Sasuke goes after her. She is still a bit skittish, so he clears his throat before actually reaching for her elbow just to let her know of his presence.

"Uchiha-san?" her voice is soft and small her eyes are questioning but yet she keeps herself with the mask of indifference, like she didn't just admit of being haunted just like him. Sasuke remembers Hinata well they never really talked or interacted much, but he never forgets a face. He takes a moment longer to stare at her and appreciate the way her face changed over time from the child-like innocence to feminine beauty.

"Do you have a moment to talk?" He knows that there is a very small chance that she will accept that offer, taking into consideration that she refuses to talk to her friends, but sometimes all you need is a stranger to listen without judgement and without comparing the old you to the one you are now.

Hinata looks at him as well, he was always this monster in her mind, painted by everyone in the village, by her family. The rivalry between her and his clan was always known about, and even after the Uchihas has tragically died Hiashi still talked about them with hatred. But in the time that she has been awake she found out the real story behind the massacre, behind Itachi, behind Sasuke and it would be a lie to say she isn't curious to see what he is like now.

With a slight nod on Hinata's part they start to make their way to where the old park was. Sasuke led them there only to see that the park is no longer there. "It was destroyed in the fight against Pain" Hinata says looking across what is now a couple of food stands. "Most of this part of the village is different" Taking his hand Hianta starts walking to the bench that is on the outskirt of the food court, just outside of prying eyes. The only witness being the moon that barely shines though the clouds

"That was the park that Itachi would take me to play in…you know, before everything" Sasuke isn't big on sharing either but he feels it is only fair for him to start before asking her questions that he knows Hinata will feel uncomfortable answering. "The thing you said, about having nightmares, I can relate I still have them even if so many years passed. It is also true that I didn't cope in the healthiest way with that loss"

The silence is pregnant but not awkward. It feels more like they are both in their own far-away world. "I would hope that they stop soon. I can't keep having the same nightmare over and over again without losing my mind." Sasuke wanted to say something to comfort her in some way but she appears to be on a roll so he decided to stay back and watch and if she needs it he will offer her any kind of consolation he can think of. "I wake up every time screaming and crying because I see Neji die again and again and I am soaked in his blood, his lifeless body over me. And this voice comes and tells me that it should have been me that died and not him and I agree with the voice." Her voice turns shaky and Sasuke knows that if he looks at her now tears will be running down her cheeks most likely, but he chooses to give her some privacy. "All my life I have been taught that war is part of the ninja world, that so is death, but I fucking hate this world we live in" The Uchiha is a bit taken aback by her cursing.

Once more silence falls over the two of them. And this time Sasuke is the one to talk. "I am afraid that I will never learn how to cope with that happened. So much time has passed and I still feel stuck there, in that moment when I realize that I am alone, the one and only left standing in my house and clan."

Her touch is soft and gentle, she rakes his hand and holds it tightly in one of her hands while with the back of the other she wipes her tears and than his. Sasuke hasn't even noticed he was crying. In this moment it feels like it is only them in a world that is so cruel, a world that took way too much from both of them. Unlike many people they have lived their worst nightmares and it's memories that haunt them, not some make-believe nonsense, they share some kind of tragedy that makes it easier to confide in one another. They don't judge; they relate, or if they don't, at last the understand part of the pain. Here on this lonely bench two people open up for the first time about their pain and just hope to God somehow the other can help them carry the burden.


	5. Day 5- Red String of Fate

_Hey guys, I know long time no see and that Sh Month ended like…2 months ago but yea…I was really busy in August and then September rolled around and Uni started and all that crap so yea. I still wanna finish all 31 stories it just might take me a long time xD _

_Anyway I hope you enjoy, Love Dia~~_

**Fate- Part 1**

_**Day 5 – Red Sting of Fate**_

Hinata

I believe in fate, not necessary in some all mighty being that controls everything, but rather in connections that people have, what you do and say affect others as well, not just yourself, you are supposed to play a certain role in somebody's life at a certain point in their life. I also believe in parallel lines, people that are close to you and you see them everywhere but they are never part of your life because you never interact, Uchiha Sasuke is my parallel line. It started out funny, we would always see each other on the bus to school, but we got on and got off at different stations, he was just another nameless face in the crowd for a while but then I started seeing him at the mall, at the pool and in the park. It seemed like we were always at the same place in the same time yet the timing was never good for us to talk or meet. I used to call him Kuro in my bead because of the color of his eyes and hair. He was never alone, he always had with him a friend or a group of friends, but we didn't share any acquaintances. There is absolutely nothing that we have in common, we go to different schools, we live in different parts of the city, our families don't know each other, we have no common friends, yet he is always there, in my peripheral view. Even now, I am at the library studying for an upcoming exam and I can see him three tables to the left listening to music with his eyes closed and an open book in front of him. Before I thought of him as a parallel line I always waited for an opportunity to present itself to me when I could go and finally talk to him, but now I am content with just being aware of his existence. I don't think I would go up to him if I had a chance now because I feel like I build him up in my head and no matter how great he is I would be utterly disappointed in him, and I don't want that to happen.

Sasuke

I came here to study with Natuto, well more like Naruto begged me to come and help him study because he is failing almost all his classes, and the dobe had the nerve to actually cancel last minute, and I mean last minute. We were supposed to meet at 2 p.m and he texted me at 1:59. Classy I know. But that isn't what annoys me the most right now. The source of my bad mood is 3 tables to the right, her head buried in her books and she has no idea that I am here alternating between looking at her and keeping my eyes closed so I stop staring at her. Hinata has been part of my life for almost 10 years now and yet we had never talked. Out encounters, if you can call them that, mean that I am in one part of the room staring at her and she is in the other part of the room not even knowing that I exist. I know how cliché this sounds, because my friends always take it upon themselves to tell me, but I feel connected to her, my eyes can't help but seek her out in a crowd and when she walks into a room I can feel it. There has to be a reason why for 10 years she has been placed over and over again in my path just a bit out of reach. I am waiting desperately for the day when she will be in my path, when I can finally go and introduce myself, because unlike me who is painfully aware of her existence, she probably has no idea that I am alive.


	6. Day 6- Elemental Chakra

**Ninja- Part 1**

_**Day 6 -Elemental chakra**_

Sasuke

"_Just like with blood you can also give and receive chakra, the rules are a bit stricter but it is possible. There are universal donors (_such as Naruto or Karin_) that can give anyone chakra, but not in huge quantity. There are universal receivers that can take chakra from anyone, again in a medium quantity. And there is chakra compatibility, it is quite rare and it means that two individuals share the same chakra in element, but more important, it means that they can give and receive from each other in any quantity what so ever without it damaging their chakra paths at all. The chakra is identical in every aspect and the body can't tell that it comes form an external source and not from the owner. But as it was put before, it is extremely rare and even if it does exist the chances of these 2 people meeting and discovering it, are slim. In the Ninja history only 2 pairs are known of that possessed such compatibility."_

I reread the last part a couple more times just to make sure that I understood it right, even though I know I did. I outline the important parts and close the book after I bend the corner of this important page and I leave the house. I feel oddly relaxed even if my discovery is pretty earth shattering, I should be running but I want to let the information sink in before I share it with anyone. I take a few more steps and it finally sinks in, my heart starts beating faster and I find it a bit hard to breath but either way, I start to run. I don't even bother knocking on the door as I go in and run up the stairs to the room I'm looking for, I don't knock here either and I just bust in. Hinata squeals when she sees me and it doesn't even register that she is only in a bath towel with her hair dripping wet. I don't hear her protest nor do I notice how her whole body starts turning a rosy color.

"Read!" I tell her and open the book at the correct page. As her eyes dance on the words I see the state of clothing she is in and I stare at everything with no shame what so ever. Her long hair looks even shinier wet and her skin has goosebumps all over, I am not sure if they are from the cold or from my presence, I will be cocky this time and believe I am the reason behind them.

I look at her face finally to see what her reaction is, her brows are in a frown and she is biting her lower lip, stressing it over and over again, I see her eyes moving up and down the page multiple times and I know she is rereading it just like I did.

"What do you think?" I ask finally when I can't take it anymore, I know it Is unfair to rush her when it also took me a moment to wrap my head around it, but I passed the shocked state and I am in the ecstatic one.

Hinata finally looks up at me, frown still in place, her lip is a bit plumper and redder from how she kept biting it. "We should tell someone?" she turns away from me and runs a hand though her wet hair. " I mean… if it is as rare as they make it seem we should most certainly tell someone" I nod even thought she is with her back turned and can't see me. "We should tell Kakashi and maybe Tsunade…" She moved on to looking through her closet picking things to wear and throwing them on her bed. I once again nod at her idea and move to lay down on her bed. All of a sudden I feel really tired.

Hinata

My hands are shaking for two reasons, 1. Sasuke just dropped on me a bomb, that we might be one of the rare pairs that have chakra compatibility and 2. Because he is in my room and I am naked, well I do have a towel on but that doesn't help much I think. I take out a pair of my summer brown shorts and a nice flowy shirt with sunflowers on it. It feels like I should be a bit dressier for this conversation. I move on to my underwear drawer and don't even think about it as I take a matching pair of black panties and bra, that are one of my favorite because despite the lace they are extremely comfortable.

Only after I hear Sasuke whistle do I turn around and notice that I pretty much threw my underwear on his face. I thought I couldn't blush more after he barged into my room and I was about to change and had to close my towel really fast, but I am sure that my face is redder now.

"Can you wait outside while I get dressed so we can go and tell someone of this?" I ask trying to sound annoyed and not embarrassed at all. He gets up, nods and leaves. The moment he closed the door I sigh, this day started out so normal...

I get dressed as fast as I can; my hair is still wet but I brush it a bit and let it be, it is summer so the sun will dry it pretty fast. I leave my room and we start running to the Hokage tower. Once there Sasuke doesn't bother to knock or ask if Kakashi is free, he just barges in much like he did in my room, but unlike me Kakashi is in a decent pose, behind his desk reading some papers and Shizune is doing the same but on the couch to his left.

"Well hello Sasuke, Hinata what brings the two of you here?" His question finally sparks another worry in my head that I did not think of. After the war Sasuke and I started spending more time together as a group with the others but we found out that we get along quite well, after talking a bit and realizing we have the same chakra element we set a training program, and now almost a year later we still train whenever we are both in town for 3 hours or so a day. Not many people know of our friendship and I liked keeping it on the down low, but with this news probably everyone will know

"Send for Tsunade, there is something important we have to say"


	7. Day 7- Falling in love with and Ex

**Mafia- Part 1**

_**Day 7 -In love with an ex**_

Hinata

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't be here, at least not dresses this way, but it's Ino's birthday and my best friend insisted we go clubbing, she also insisted that we get ready at her house and when I showed up my outfit was apparently not club-appropriate so she gave me some of her clothes even if she and I don't really wear the same size…this is why I am here in this loud club wearing the least amount of clothing I have ever worn in public. It wouldn't be all that bad if we weren't waiting for her new boyfriend and his friend to come, I am ok with the girls and even strangers seeing me in this but I would prefer if her new boyfriend met me when I was dressed more…well just dressed in more.

TenTen and Temari are dancing together and most eyes are on them, Ino Sakura and I are in our booth waiting for the 2 boys to arrive, if I had known we could bring someone I would have made Neji and Gaara come too, they would have been able to stop the clothing mess and I would have been far more comfortable with them there.

"So you just mentioned we'd be here and he said what...'same'?"

Sakura asks a bit annoyed, she has met Naruto a few weeks ago and she isn't his biggest fan. Also Sakura has been saying how we're not spending as much time together as we used to in Collage. I met all these lovely ladies in my first year of Collage in the dorm, we weren't roommates the first year but the second year all 5 of us shared a room, it felt like an endless sleepover and I adored every moment spend with them.

"Pretty much, he said he and his friend have business around here and that they might drop by. So I'm not sure if or when they'll come, also I don't really know who this friend is" Ino smiles evilly at me "I hope he's cute so maybe Hina and him can hit it off and that way we're all taken." Sakura rolls her eyes at Ino and gives me a kind smile. In a moment of weakness a few months ago I told her how I hate it when Ino sets me up with guys, maybe the guys she chooses are after her own taste or whatever, but all my dates so far have gone horribly wrong.

"Speaking about couples, I should go check on my girlfriend, hopefully Temari didn't seduce her" Sakura jokes and goes to the dancefloor and pulls TenTen to her and gives her a toe-curling kiss. I'm pretty sure that most guy around the club stare at them like it's a free show. I've asked Ten if she minded that people stared and both she and Sakura said that they don't mind it, they find it funny and usually they actually put up a show just for kicks. Today is one of those days. TenTen is taller than Sakura and she's also stronger because she is a fitness instructor. Still kissing her Ten hitches Sakura closer to her and up by holding her onto her upper tight, Sakura wraps her legs around Ten's waist not even caring that she flashed the entire club her red lacy panties.

"I swear to God I've seen them make out a billion times but each time it gets hotter. I'm really concerned that they'll get to that point one day and just fuck in public without caring" Temari comes towards us fanning herself with her hand. She looks around and rises an eyebrow toward Ino "So where's your boytoy? Also, I told Shika he should come too if we're allowing boys to come but he lowkey told me no. So, I'm in a pissy mood and I wanna direct it towards someone, that someone will be your boyf, I'll grill him better than white dads grill their stakes."

I giggle a little, only Shikamaru could win an argument with Temari and still not have her mad at him all that long. They've been dating for over 5 years now, and we're all joking about them getting married, but no proposal happened yet, Gaara, Temari's younger brother, once asked Shikamaru about it and the Nara even has the ring and everything he said he's waiting for Temari to give him some kind of sign that she wants him to ask her, he is scared of proposing and her laughing in his face.

"I don't know, that's what I was telling the girls before, they might not even show up." The blonde birthday girl shrugs while waving a waitress down and telling her to bring us a full tray of shots and a cocktail each. It would appear Ino wants to get us all drunk.

"Dose that bother you? That he might not come?" Temari asks after drowning a shot.

"Not really, I mean it's not like him being here was part of the plan. But it would be nice if he were to come, he'd drive us home and be the DD so we all could get even more drunk than I was planning on because we wouldn't have to worry about being careful in the cab and all that" The three of us do two more shots and Ino wants to call Sakura and Ten back to do the last ones with us but they are slow-dancing in the middle of the club, totally lost in their own little world. They didn't start dating until 3 years ago, in out last uni year. So instead we do 3 more and Ino and Temari drink the last 2 shots, before she even swallowed Ino is up on her feet and pulling both me and Temari on the dancefloor. I don't particularly like the way people stare at me in Ino's clothes but the few shots and cocktails I had make ignoring it easier, and the way Ino dances with me helps even more and I'm actually having a blast.

30 minutes or so later Sakura and TenTen join us as well and it's just like in collage, dancing all alone in our room in our pjs. Sakura is hugging me from behind and twirling me a couple times when I hear Ino squeal, I turn around to see her kissing a blond boy who I assume is Naruto. Temari waits patiently for their make-out session to end so she can introduce herself, she talks a bit to both of them and comes to me and Sakura to tell us she's going home, by her grin I would say she and Shika made up already.

"Naruto, this is Hinata, you've already met Sakura and I think TenTen is in the bathroom" I greet him and wave hello. Naruto says something but I can't hear it over my own heart beating out of my chest. I pray to God that my eyes are playing tricks on me as I stare at the back of a guy but he turns around and I take in the familiar face. I feel stuck in place but also like I should run for my life. I only take my eyes off him when I feel Sakura shaking my shoulder. I don't even have time to ask her 'what' when I hear Naruto saying "Sasuke, you already done? Come here let me introduce you around"

Any amount of drunk that I was before is gone, it feels like a bucket of ice-cold water was just dropped on my head because Sasuke smiles at Naruto and he shakes hands with Ino and gives her one of his dazzling yet fake smiles, but his smile falls for a second when his eyes meet mine, he soon puts it back on and greets Tenten, you couldn't have seen his facial change if you weren't paying attention but I was. Just as I think that he'll act as if we're complete strangers his fake smile turns into an evil grin and he comes over to me and gives me a hug.

"Hinata, good to see you again, you look lovely. It's been too long, 6 years or so I think?"

I can see Ino's smile growing from over his shoulder and I'm stuck in place because my ex from high-school is here, hugging me and talking to me like we're old friends, not like we ended up on absolutely horrible terms, not like he broke my heart, not like the last thing I told him was that I hate him.


	8. Day 8- Mermaid

_**Day 8 – Mermaid**_

Sasuke

Everyone does things they don't particularly like, you wake up early and go everyday to school with people that you can't wait to become part of your past, you sit thought awkward talks and weird situations cuz you can't see an escape route. This last one is the case I am in, a weird situation, I am with my parents, my brother, his wife and their small daughter at Disney world because it is Kara's 7th birthday and she wished for the past 3 years to come here. Mom and dad got tired after the first 2 hours of wandering around; Itachi started feeling unwell and pucked twice after riding about 12 times the rollercoaster so he and Anko went to the pharmacy to get something to ease his stomach and they're taking a small break so here I am stuck with my 7 year old niece who is dressed like a princess walking around the amusement park. Kara was so excited for the first hour and she kept running around but got tired quite fast, Itachi carried her around in his arms princess style for almost 3 hours so she is once more full of energy. Who thought that leaving a 22 year old male with a 7 year old girl is a wise idea, I don't know.

I am holding her hand as we walk around and all of a sudden she stops and screams so loud my ears start ringing; I can't even find my footing and see what is happening because Kara starts pulling me to the far right and I do my best to steer her from hitting and tripping people over.

We walk through a tunnel that's painted deep blue and as we get to the end the temperature drops and I haven't realized how hot it was outside until this moment when it finally feels cool. The song 'Under the sea' from the Little Mermaid is playing on repeat. I only know the song because Little Mermaid is Kara's favorite Disney movie and whenever I babysit her or just go by Itachi's the movie is permanently on.

"Sasuke look!" she says and pulls on my pants leg; she is behind me now and hides, looking shyly at a group of kids that are staring at an aquarium tank. I don't notice anything unusual until one small girl screams on top of her lungs 'mermaid' and a lot of kids move around and look at her and I see it, or more like, I see her. In the tank is a real life mermaid, with blue hair and beautiful liliac eyes, she swims around and waved to the kids, smiles and them and when a mother holds her daughter a little higher over the aquarium she comes out for air and holds the girl's hand.

"Can we do that? I want to hold hands with the mermaid…" Kara is anything but a shy kid, still, now she looks overwhelmed, anxious and a bit scared yet very excited. She looks into my eyes waiting for my reply so I only nod. We walk to the tank and as we get closer the large group of kids pair off 2 by 2 and follow a lady who I assume is their teacher and another teacher is behind them so we are pretty much the only ones at the tank. Kara is still behind my leg, the mermaid is under the water and swims around putting on a really cool show. Just the fact that she can hold her breath for that long is impressive. She looks towards us and smiles and waves at Kara.

I look at my little niece as well and I pick her up like the mother did and the mermaid comes up for air, crosses her arms over the glass wall and puts her head there and smiles big at Kara.

"Are you a real mermaid?" Kara asks and shyly touches her cheek. The mermaids smile boarens and she looks absolutely stunning, I feel lightning bolts shoot up my spine, she is so much more beautiful up close.

_**Hinata**_

I enjoy it more when there are smaller groups of people at my tank, I like talking to the kids and playing my character, so being alone with this little girl and her...father, older brother(?) is pretty cool, she's so cute, dressed as a princess and her eyes are big and full of innocence. She's also old enough to have a conversation with. I'd give her 7 or 8 years and I'm quite good at guessing children's ages. She asked me if I'm a real mermaid, that is one of the most frequent questions. The tail I wear is very well made and it truly looks authentic and I take pride in my swimming skills and in the amount of time I can stay underwater without having to come out and breath, also behind the rock where they can't see, on the other side of the tank you can go and breath air and the kids can see only your tail so I tend to do that unless there is someone who wants to talk or hold my hand.

"Yes princess, I am a real mermaid" her smile is shy and so cute. She nods like what I said makes sense. I look from her to the man holding her and I have to stop a sigh, he's so good-looking and he is staring right at me. I give him the same smile because I can't break character, but his grin makes my skin tingle and I really want to touch him.

"Is this your home? Are you a prisoner here? Do you want us to save you?" She looks up worried at the man and he chuckles lightly at her questions. I'm a bit startled, I have been asked before if I live here but no one offered to help me escape.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I tell her and pull myself even more out of the water. She looks at me very serious and nods so I lean in and whisper in her ear. "You can't tell anyone, but this isn't my house, nor am I prisoner. I work here. When I get out of the water and I'm dry I have legs just like you do but when I'm in the water I am a mermaid, so I am here to help little girls like me and to talk with beautiful and kind princesses like yourself" after I finish my little speech I still don't back up because I can feel the heat coming from the man and I also can smell him, he smells refreshing, like ice and mint but with something else that I can't put my finger on but I'm willing to bet it's just him, he smells delicious and very manly.

"I'll tell you a secret too" The little girl says "My name is Kara and I'm not a princess" she looks at me carefully, waiting for my reaction. I only nod and smile.

"Well Kara, I am Hinata and I have to disagree, you are a princess. Being a princess has little to do with royal blood or fancy clothing, it is all about how you act, if you are kind and friendly, loyal and loving and good. I can see into your soul and you are a princess deep inside, never doubt that" Her eyes widen, and she smiles at me.

"Sasuke did you hear? I'm a princess" He smiles at her. I take in what she said, his name is Sasuke. She didn't call him dad and he is too young to have such a big kid so I doubt he is her dad. "Can you see in his soul? Is he a prince too?"

I make a show of looking at him from head to toe like I'm considering her question when in reality I just want to check him out. After I've taken everything in I look back up at his face, narrow my eyes and look at his chest. I pull myself out even more and I lay my hand flat on his chest and close my eyes. I only now realize that I probably wet his shirt, but I can't stop the show now. After a couple of seconds my hand can't take it, just from touching him I feel a bit dizzy so I open my eyes and nod very serous to myself before looking back at Kara, I don't look up at Sasuke because I am scared of what I'll see there.

"Yes he is a good soul, he is also a prince" Kara's eyes light up and she looks at Sasuke with a lot of love and admiration, I finally look at his face because I expect him to stare and smile at Kara but instead his stare is on me so intensely, a lot of feelings hit me all of a sudden and I feel overwhelmed.

_**Sasuke**_

When she put her hand on my chest to "feel if my soul is good" I thought my heart will jump out of my chest. I can't help but stare at her. I want to ask her when she finished work because something tells me we'll still be here when she's done, and I want to meet her. Or I want to ask her for her number, but I can't do that in front of Kara, it would ruin the image Hinata painted for her character. Hinata...even her name is beautiful. Kara looks at me and asks me to put her down and says that she wants to take a picture in front of the tank as Hinata floats behind her. I take a few pictures of the two of them posing. I look around and see a smaller tank with lots of fish inside that is just a bit to the left, but far enough that Kara won't hear what I talk about with Hinata. I also take a quick look around and see that it's not very crowded so I don't think new kids will come to Hinata.

"Why don't you go look at the fishes for a moment, I want to talk to the mermaid about how I should act now that I found out I'm a prince" I tell Kara lamely, thankfully she believes me and goes to look at the fishes. I return to the tank and softly knock in the glass to get her attention; she is once again swimming around. When she looks at me and sees no kids around, she rises a brow and I just shrug. She comes out to talk to me anyway.

"You're not supposed to hit the glass. It says that there. She points to a piece of paper that is on the wall next to her. "Not respecting the rules is not very prince-like of you"

"Sorry I just needed your attention." She smiles, for real this time not the fake-princess one she shows every kid; and for a moment I forget how to breath. "Thank you for talking so much to Kara, she loves mermaids; whenever I babysit her for my brother Little Mermaid is all she wants to watch" I intentionally made it very clear that Kara is my niece so she wouldn't think I was her father or anything.

"It wasn't big deal. She's very cute" I nod, and silence falls over us.

"When do you get out of work? And can you give me your number?" I cringe internally. I'm better than this, I have mad game with girls but this one makes me feel a bit weird, like I'm off balance in some way.

She chuckles "I get out in an hour and half. And as for my number...how about we meet when I get out and I can give it to you then? Would that work?" she asks and I try really hard not to jump and pump my fist in the air in a "I-did-it" pose.

"Yea that works, cool." I try to pretend like she doesn't affect me at all but that's a failure. "I'll meet you here in about 2 hours?" I take into consideration that she probably has to shower and change.

"Yes, 2 hours is perfect. Bye bye Prince Sasuke" she says and goes back to swimming. I go back to Kara.

"What did she say about being a prince?' she asks looking up at me and taking my hand to hold.

"She said I have potential but I need some help, so she offered to give me classes on how to be a good prince"


	9. Day 9 - Ichi go Ichi e

_**Day 9 –Ichi go Ichi e**_

One cry, one touch, only once, that is all that I ever got. Some would say that one time is more than enough, but those people don't know what they're talking about. I'm craving more. I would give almost everything just for 5 minutes, for a conversation, to talk to her, to see what she thinks of me, of what I've become. I just want a hug, to feel her body close to mine to for her to run her hands up my spine and into my hair. I just want to look into her eyes and see the unconditional love that I know would be there. I don't feel like I'm asking for that much. Just another moment.

I'm tired of everyone telling me how amazing and how beautiful she was or how proud she would be. I'm tired of looking at pictures and seeing just how much of her lives on in me. I'm tired of her appearing in my dreams and not hearing her voice because I have no idea what it sounded like. I'm tired of someone talking to me about her like we're talking about the weather. I hate how dad gets sometimes when someone brings up a bad memory of her, or when one of those elder people come to us and pity us. I also feel bad for asking for more than I have. Dad is more than anyone would ever need, he's love for me is infinite, he has always given me everything I needed and more, there is nothing in this world that he wouldn't do for me, and yet I crave more. I want mom to be alive, both for me and for him.

Dad is the only one I like to listen to when he talks about mom, about how they met in school, about how he was hell-bend of going though university with no ties to any of his collage and in his second year she walked into his life and knocked him down without even meaning to. Whenever he talks about that he gets this peaceful look in his eyes and his posture changes to a more relaxed one. I wish he could live in those memories forever.

I love the story of how their first date, how because of a misunderstanding mom was expecting dad's best friend to pick her up and go on a date with but dad showed up and swept her off her feet. I like to think that they had that kind of love-story that people write about, that people see in movies.

At times I'm jealous of dad because he has spent almost 6 years with mom and he has many fond memories of her that he can live in for a while, yet I have nothing. One touch that was all I got. I didn't even see her because I was a baby and my eyes were closed, mouth open in a scream-cry. I never knew the story until last year. I knew that she had died giving birth to me, that always made me feel guilty. But after asking again and again, last year dad finally told me everything.

How they knew there was a possibility that a pregnancy could hurt mom since her mother died giving birth to my aunt, but even so mom was ecstatic when she found out they were expecting. He told me about how she started reading to me and talking to me since before there was any baby-bump to be seen. That she always told me I was loved and how they could not wait to meet me. He also told me that she went in labor a month early, not something that uncommon but still...How it didn't really take all that long, that the delivery was pretty smooth, that mom wasn't in pain but her heartbeat was worryingly low during the 2 hours the birth took. That I came out with a cry and how the doctors, after cleaning me up, put me in her arms and she cried and said I was perfect. How both she and dad were crying while staring at me and holding hands. How the nurse took me away and dad stood behind with mom. How he kissed her cheek and thanked her for the life she gave him, for their marriage, happiness and especially for me. Mom smiled told him how he was the love of her life and she was tired, and she closed her eyes. For about 10 seconds dad was certain she fell asleep until the line on the machine monitoring her heart went steady and doctors started rushing in. She had died barely minutes after meeting me. Dad says she died happy and I believe him, but it doesn't make her absence any better.

There is only one picture with all of us, the one the nurse took right after I was born. I am in her arms, both dad and her are looking at me with so much love. The picture made me cry on numerous times. Now it is one of those moments, I look on the back and see written the date "9th November 1990; baby Daisuke was born, bringing me and Hinata unmeasurable happiness. -Sasuke" I'm in the waiting room in the hospital surrounded by people that I love and that love me back. I feel like I can't breathe and at the same time I'm oddly calm. Dad is beside me; he has been rubbing my back for the past 20 minutes. Since my wife told me to leave the hospital room until she tells me to go back. She's in labor now, moments, maybe hours away from giving birth to my baby girl. Finally, the door opens, and a nurse comes in.

"The baby-daddy should come in, it's starting". I get up smile at my dad and go in to hold my wife's hand while she brings to this world the one human being that I will love just as much as I love her.


	10. Day 10 - Historical Romance

**Tragedy- Part 1**

_**Day 10- Historical Romance**_

Hinata

They say that tragedy is for royalty and that comedy is for the common people. They say that the "common folks" can't grasp the depth of the anguish that all these tragic plays show. If you ask me that's a pretty bad deal for us royalties, especially when we are young. The kids belonging to the bourgeoisie's class sit down on dirt, watch and laugh as actors trip and tell jokes, while I was forced from a young age into stiff dresses, I was thought to only sit on half a chair with my spine so straight that it feels like it will snap in two and watch as the actors cry and kill each other, as they lie and as their lives fall apart. I know that this is a whiny complaint, one that hardly matters, but as I'm looking out the carriage onto the street and see a kid's theater, I can't help but be envious, even now at almost 19 years old I want to sit between the small children and laugh with them as one of the actors falls and rips his pants.

"Hinata" Neji's voice is stern and he's looking at me with a pleading face. He wants me to cut it out, to stop looking longing towards something that is less than proper. I know he means well; God only knows what would happen, if father saw me, or even worse, grandfather. Closing my eyes, I try to conjure up a memory of grandfather which wasn't unpleasant, but nothing comes to mind. The older man inspired only fear and fury in me, and I hate how I could never look him in the eye anymore, scared of what I'll see when his ice-cold gaze is fixed on me.

We're on the way to a family whose name I can't remember, to do and discuss something I don't care about. I wish father had went alone, but he snapped at me when I proposed that, he argued that we must appear as a united and loving family. At least he was honest and didn't lie saying he wanted our company on this long journey. Hanabi is next to me trying her headrest not to fall asleep since that would be un-lady-like. I close my eyes and mourn her innocence. If father and grandfather stole my childhood, they murdered Hanabi's in cold blood. One summer day my little sister was running around the Clan House in her small toddler bare feet and the next her eyes were cold and unwelcoming. I do not know what had happened in those hours, Hanabi never shared but it was such a brutal change so I could only imagine all the horrible things they did to her.

I look at my older cousin and try to picture him as a care-free child. When we were finally allowed to spend time together Neji was already calloused, I wasn't given the opportunity to know him before they broke his spirit.

"We are almost there" my grandfather says in a low voice right before we come to a stop, I see Neji look towards him and nod but I do not acknowledge him. I look out the window and see that we are no longer in the village, the scenery changed to a forest. There is a paved road that led right to the front gate of a house just as big and stoic as the Hyuuga House. I see the sign of a clan large and proud above the door but I had never bothered to learn which sign belonged to which clan, nor did father bother to teach me. I can only imagine his utter disappointment when his first born was a girl and then his second born followed and it was also a girl. Mother died when Hanabi was young not giving father any son-heirs. That issue was very discussed for a long time in our clan. I heard talk about how Neji should have been the heir, I've heard talk about how both me and Hana would be married, and Dad wouldn't step down until one of us had a son and he was old enough to lead. I don't know about Hana but I never wanted to be the head clan. I just want freedom.

We stop again, but this time we've reached the house. I get out of the carriage the last. I'm in no hurry to be here, once more I wish dad had left alone, when he is away, I like going to the village and just pretend I'm one of them.

"Welcome" says a man in his late 40s. I assume he is the leader. Next to him is a beautiful woman, probably his wife. My father greeted them back as did my grandfather. "These are my beautiful daughters Hinata and Hanabi, and my nephew Neji, a fine young man" father says and gestures to each one of us. I know this dance, he says our name and we bow, this is easy and safe.

Sasuke

"The guests seem to have arrived" Itachi says but neither of us makes any move to go and introduce ourselves. This is the 5th family to come visit us in the past 2 weeks. It's exhausting to meet so many new people and to constantly pretend like you care what they have to say. Especially since most families that come have one reason only, to present their daughter or daughters if they had more than one, in hopes that Itachi would take a liking to them.

We are both laying on our back on the porch, my eyes are closed but I believe that Itachi is looking at the sky. Sooner or later dad will call for Itachi or both of us, sooner or later we'll be forced to talk pleasantries with some strangers. The parents are the ones that want the marriage for title and prestige, while the girls are ok with it because Itachi is known as the 'most eligible bachelor' and they want to be the ones to catch his eye. The girls flutter their lashes and act as sexy and desirable as they could yet Itachi never finds any of them interesting. The guest have arrived for quite a while and dad hasn't called for us yet which is weird, usually dad pushes the girls toward Itachi as fast as he can. Maybe this meeting is different. Just as I think that two girls take the corner. Itachi and I look at each other, I give him a 'here we go again' eye roll and he simply smiles.

"Hello ladies" Itachi is the first to speak and he gets up. The older girl flinched when Itachi spoke. She was smiling at her sister but now, looking at me and my brother her smile fell. The younger one bows and when she sees that her sister isn't doing the same she touches her shoulder. The older sister bows too but I see her jaw is clenched and she seems to be in a foul mood now.

"My name is Itachi and this is my younger brother Sasuke" Itachi says and we both bow. "What brings you lovely ladies here?" My brother is a very good actor and he excels in small talk.

"Our father has a meeting with yours. We simply tagged along, we didn't want to be alone home without father. Whenever he is gone we miss him dearly" The younger girl says with a smile on her face that looked anything but genuine. Her sister scoffed and turned around while her sister was talking. "My name is Hanabi and this is my older sister Hinata." Hanabi makes a show of looking at our house before turning back to us and saying "You have such a lovely house" I look at Itachi and he smiles at them, he IS amused and to be honest I am too.

"How was the trip here?" Itachi asks.

"It was marvelous. You have such a beautiful village nearby. I asked dad to stop so we could take a look around. And as soon as the village ended this beautiful forest started! I was so surprised; I haven't seen so many lush trees in my life." Hanabi talks with great theatrics, if I didn't know she was lying I might have believed her.

"What about you Hinata? Did you like the village, do you like the trees?" Itachi furthered asks. I get the impression he wants to get the older one to talk as well, she hasn't said a word yet, hasn't looked at us.

Her head turns, she looks at Itachi and then at me and for a moment I think she'll ignore us. But she sighs, closes her eyes and when she opens them Back up it's like she's a different person, her smile looks genuine, her posture changes to a more welcoming one. "It was lovely. I enjoyed the kid's theater very much. And this forest seems perfect for an evening stroll. I do hope you'll accompany me so I wouldn't get lost" her voice is gentle, and you couldn't be able to tell she was annoyed just a moment before.

Before Itachi could reply a man took the corner as well, he appears to be Itachi's age, maybe a year or two younger. When his eyes land on me and Itachi he plasters a fake smile on his face and bows but doesn't bother to tell us his name or greet us. He goes to Hinata and whispers something in her ear, I'm closely watching her, and I see her face falling. I see panic overtake her eyes as she turns to the man. His jaw is clenched, and his eyes are sad. The younger girl watches the interaction looking alarmed and confused.

"I'm sorry Hinata" the man says and he puts his hand on her shoulder, squeezes it and leaves, like whatever he told her didn't just ruin her life. And it occurs to me that maybe she didn't know the reason why she's here. Her eyes look at Itachi and then at me she looks scared and cornered. She looks like she's about to cry.


	11. Day 11- Mafia AU

**Mafia- Part 2**

_**Day 11- Mafia AU**_

_Hinata_

For months after high school ended I imagined running into Sasuke, I imagined him coming to me and apologizing, I imagined him saying he loved me still and I would have been ok with it, I would have forgave him for the pain he had caused because I was 17 and in love, but as time went on and Uni started and he disappeared I imagined another scenario. I imagined meeting my true soul mate in University and then running into Sasuke and showing him how I had moved on. But once more that didn't happen. I dated quite a bit in Uni but nothing serious, the longest relationship was barely 2 months and even that I knew wouldn't last. I never imagined meeting him in a club when I was dressed in someone else's clothes. I didn't imagine him hugging me like we're old pals and for sure I didn't imagine myself blocking. All of a sudden it feels like the air has been sucked from my lungs, my heart is beating so fast and hard I feel it physically hurting my chest. Ino is grinning at me, Sakura is looking worried and Sasuke is up in my face, smirking.

His smirk is something I'm familiar with, I remember him looking at me that way whenever I told him that I loved him, he'd say 'i know' and kiss me hard and whisper that he loved me too. Out of everyone that I have dated Sasuke made me feel the most loved, but he also hurt me the most. He finally let me go and I breath in deeply. I close my eyes while he shakes hands with Sakura and I try to compose myself. When I open my eyes, I feel better. He just caught me off guard, in a place and time when I was already feeling awkward.

I notice Naruto looking at Sasuke alarmed. That makes sense if he's friends with Sasuke he probably knows what his dark smile means. He's worried that Sasuke will make me upset and I'll vent to Ino and that might affect their relationship. I know this, I've seen this before with Ino's boyfriends. When she sets me up with the friend of her boyfriend, they always worry about that. But I never cause problems for them and Ino is a hopeless romantic and never sees any of these signs, even now she's looking at me with stars in her eyes. She's made up her mind that me and Sasuke will be a couple, we'll have a double wedding and move in the same house and out kids will be best friends. Again...I've seen this play out before.

"So how do the two of you know each other?" Ino asks

"We went to the same high school." I answered vaguely. I hoped Sasuke would leave it to that. But as always Sasuke disappoints me.

"Oh don't be like that. We were in the same class all thought school from 1rst to 12th grade. And then in 10th grade we started dating until 12th when due to unfortunate events we broke up amicably, of course" He spoke with so much ease even I, for a moment, believe him. But I quickly remember the true story and the fact that he lied makes me hate him a bit more.

I thank God Temari left, she's the one that knows about Sasuke. I told both her and Gaara everything one drunken night at their home a couple of summers ago. Ino still looks like she just won the lottery while Sakura and Ten just share a puzzled expression. Naruto is cringing, either he knows the real story, or he can tell that Sasuke is lying.

Ino goes back into party mood and orders more shots for everyone. "You can't drink tho. You have to drive us all home" she tells Naruto sternly. He only nods and dips his head to kiss her. The thought of getting drunk while Sasuke is around is as pleasant as getting stabbed in the eye with a spoon. But when Ino gives me a shot I drink it anyway, because it's so much easier to do what she says then to fight with her and end up doing that anyway. For the 8th time that night I wish I had told Neji to come with.

_Sasuke_

When Naruto said that his girlfriend is celebrating her birthday at K9 club the very night that I had some business in the area I didn't think much of it. When he said that he wanted to tag along and then party with her I said I'm ok with it. We got to the club, I finished what I had to do pretty fast and I started making my way to where I saw Naruto and Ino and then I noticed her, she was looking at me like I was a ghost. I couldn't help but mess a bit with her. If I'm honest I expected her to leave early after we arrived.

Naruto keeps throwing me worried looks. He knows about Hinata. When Ino asked how we knew each other I couldn't help but tell them the story I had made up in my mind. I've been refusing the truth, that I broke her heart, since the moment it happened. I keep telling myself it was ok with both of us how we ended. I figure that if I keep saying it enough, I'll eventually start believing it.

Hinata and the other 2 girls are dancing and Ino went to the bathroom so it's just me and Naruto in the booth for the first time since we got here. "Dude what are you doing?" Naruto asks, I know he's been worried. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. I've taken every chance to be near Hinata and touch her. Nothing in my life has changed since high school, it actually got worse so I can't drag her into any of that. But I didn't expect that just seeing her and being close to her would do this to me. I want to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder and take her home with me. I want to apologize for breaking her heart and help her put it back together. But I can't. Yet seeing her brings back memories of the 2 years we had together, those 2 years are my happy place. Even the beginning of our relationship when we were a bit awkward, everything about it was perfect, of course if you don't count the last 2 hours of our relationship when I ruined it all.

I watch as she dances, she's smiling at her friends, her cheeks are red from the alcohol she drank and probably because she's hot from dancing. Her clothes are a tad too tight and short but I'm not complaining, I can see every curve of her body, she looks different from when we were in high school, she has a more mature look in her eyes and everything about her is adult now. I used to know every dip and freckle on her body and the thought that it changed, and I will never be able to familiarize myself with it once more makes it hard to breath. I take my eyes off her because I can't think when I'm watching her. I look around the club and see at least 6 other men looking at her with filthy thoughts read in their eyes and it takes all my willpower not to go to them and smash their heads against a wall. My murderous thought must have been obvious because Naturo places his hand on my shoulder. "Dude I'm worried about you"

_Hinata_

I ended up drinking enough that now I don't care that Sasuke is here, actually in a sick kind of way I like feeling his stare burns me. For a while I closed my eyes and imagined we are back in high school. That this is a normal party, that I am dancing with my friends while he is laughing with his friends and that soon enough he'll come over and hug me from behind, that we'll dance for a while that way but I'll turn in his hold and we'll kiss all night long. But as I open my eyes I'm still in the club 6 years later, and he's sitting at the table and there will be no kissing. I'm oddly disappointed in that. I'm disappointed in me too, I thought I was over this. But just seeing him brought back everything I felt for him, the hurt, the heartbreak and I'm scared that the love is back as well.

Ten and Sakura are back to kissing and Ino is still in the bathroom. I stop dancing and consider going to look for her in case she's sick. I look to where the boys are and my eyes meet Sasuke's. For a second I forget everything when I look at him so I smile at him. I point to the bathroom and nod. He looks to the bathroom and nods back. He points at Sakura and Ten, then to himself and makes an ok sign. He'll watch over them while I'm gone. The high of the alcohol is coming down and I feel emotional. I haven't found anyone with whom I can talk like I can with him, I feel myself tearing up, so I start walking to the bathroom. I realize that all these years I've tried to get over losing Sasuke as a boyfriend and I did nothing for the part of my heart that broke when I lost him as a best friend.

I knock on the door and Ino shouts that 'It's fucking busy' and that if I knock again she'll break my arm Sometimes I forget how irritable alcohol makes her.

"It's me. Open up" The door opens and she lets me in.

"Sorry some bitch has been knocking for 5 minutes and she pissed me off" I nod.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, but then I see her make-up kit on the sink, and I understand.

"I'm re-touching my make-up. It was a mess after sweating and kissing Naruto." she looks back to the mirror and I put the lid down on the toilet and sit on it. I know Ino well enough, this will take her another 10 minutes at least.

"Entertain me. Tell me about Sasuke" I sigh. I knew sooner or later she would wanna know.

"We were friends. We dated. We broke up. Nothing more to say there" Her eyes are on me in the mirror.

"Well you dated him for 2 years that must have been serious. I mean you barely dated that Vet student for 2 months and no one else lasted over 3 weeks" She's looking me in the eyes and I feel trapped. I hate it so much that I actually get up and leave, I hear Ino shouting after me. I know she won't follow me. Not until she finishes her make-up. I see Sakura and Ten drinking at the bar, Naruto passes by me with his phone at his ear, so I turn to Sasuke and he's alone in the booth looking at me with one eyebrow rose. I look at my options, I don't wanna go back to talk to Ino, I don't wanna drink anymore, I don't know Naruto enough to go with him and I can't just sit alone on the dance floor. A part of my brain tells me I'm just lying to myself, that I actually just want to go to Sasuke and I don't even bother to correct that part, I just make my way to where he is.

_Sasuke_

This is the third time tonight that I feel like my heart will jump out of its place. First was when I saw her for the first time, the second was when she smiled at me before going to the bathroom and now is the third as I look at her as she makes her way towards me, her eyes are focused and they have a purpose, I just don't know what it is.

She sits down next to me and closes her eyes. I touch her cheek with the back of my hand, I can't help it. She's too close to me for my brain to make any sense. When I saw her initially, I just wanted to tease her a little because I believed she'd leave soon. She didn't. Her eyes open and she looks younger and hurt.

"Why?" her voice is meek and halfway a sob. I feel like crying too. I know what she's asking but I don't answer, I can't. I just pull her closer. My arm is around her waist, I tilt her head so it's resting on my shoulder and with my other hand I take one of hers. She fits next to me just as perfect as she always did. She turns her head so her nose touches my shoulder and I can feel her inspire in, I turn my head too so I can bury my nose in her hair and I smell her, she smells like all my wildest dreams come true. I want to cry too, for the time lost, for the happiness I could have had with her.

"My family is doing bad things, really bad things. I couldn't risk putting you in danger."

Her head raises. "bad things?"

I nod. "Japanese mafia is no joke."

I can feel her gasp. Without saying anything else I lower her head once more and stay in the same position as earlier. I open my eyes and see Naruto stare at me with sad eyes, Ino looks ecstatic while the other two girls just look confused. That pretty much sums up what I feel too, I'm sad because I could have had Hinata forever but our lives were just a bit off and we didn't fit as we should have, I'm ecstatic to be here with her now, touching her, having her warmth all around me, and I'm confused because I don't know how to fix everything, to make it all fit so I can have her. In high school I gave her up without thinking about how much it would hurt, but now that I know how it is to live with her and how it is to live without her, and I want to do anything in my power to make her want to stay with me and to figure out how to protect her from everything, from my life, my family, myself.


End file.
